Elizabethan England / 1572-1585
Elizabethan England: The Netherlands
The Netherlands became a flashpoint because Protestant revolt, Spanish power and Elizabeth's intervention kept pushing the countries closer to war.
What To Remember
- Spanish rule in the Netherlands angered many Protestants and threatened Philip II's control.
- Elizabeth sent troops in 1572 and allowed Dutch rebels to use English ports.
- The crisis escalated through the Spanish Fury, the death of William of Orange and the Treaty of Nonsuch.
Why it mattered
Spain wanted the Netherlands because they were rich, strategic and important to Philip II's huge empire.
Many Dutch Protestants rebelled, and Elizabeth chose to help them in 1572 because it kept Spain busy and protected England from direct attack.
The Spanish Fury of 1576, when unpaid Spanish soldiers mutinied in Antwerp, made the conflict look even more out of control.
What changed
The Pacification of Ghent in 1576 showed that Catholics and Protestants in the Netherlands wanted Spanish troops out and religious violence to stop, but Philip II would not accept that settlement.
When William of Orange was killed in 1584, the Dutch lost their leading rebel, and Elizabeth feared Spain would be free to build a huge army near England.
That is why the Treaty of Nonsuch in 1585 mattered: England had moved from indirect support to open war against Spain.
Revision Prompt
Why did the Netherlands make war between England and Spain more likely?